DoD News

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department continues to look at ways to reduce or avoid furloughs, the acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness said, but she added that “right now, unfortunately, the department will furlough civilian employees for up to 11 days.”

WASHINGTON - Afghan forces are just several weeks away from taking the lead in combat operations from NATO-led forces across Afghanistan, President Barack Obama said after meeting with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at the White House.

WASHINGTON - The Federal Voting Assistance Program exists to help military and overseas citizen voters overcome unique obstacles they may face, the program’s acting director told the U.S. Civil Rights Commission.

WASHINGTON - In a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart during the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel discussed closer ties between the United States and Indonesia, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

SINGAPORE - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in Singapore for the first Shangri-La Dialogue he will attend as head of the Pentagon, but he helped to build the first such event as a U.S. senator more than a decade ago, he told reporters traveling with him to the annual conference.

WASHINGTON - At an open house marking the Defense Department’s launch of a new peer-support service for sexual assault victims, senior Pentagon officials reaffirmed the department’s commitment to eradicating sexual assault in the military.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has selected retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul E. Mock as the national chair for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense operational committee that seeks to foster a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve.

WASHINGTON - In response to a need for peer support services identified by users of the Defense Department’s Safe Helpline for sexual assault victims, Pentagon officials have launched the Safe HelpRoom, a new service that allows victims to participate in group chat sessions to connect with and support one another in a moderated and secure online environment.

WASHINGTON - The United States military has “complete faith that our systems are secure and reliable,” a Pentagon spokesman said, adding the Defense Department has invested a lot of money, time and expertise in combating cyber threats.

HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - Airmen have different reasons for answering the call to defend our nation. Some join to travel the world. Some join to honor a legacy. Some join for self-improvement and end up helping others in the process.

TAMPA, Fla. - Senior commanders recently called on the defense industry to provide technologies that give special operations forces more situational awareness, better networking and communications and more precise location and targeting capabilities.

WASHINGTON - The world is at an extraordinary moment in time to harness new ideas to defeat global poverty, Jacqueline Novogratz, the CEO of a nonprofit organization that combats global poverty and an advisor to the U.S. State Department, told a Pentagon audience.

WASHINGTON - As more than 1,000 cadets prepared to graduate today from the U.S. Air Force Academy, at Colorado Springs, Colo., Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley commended them for succeeding at one of the most “demanding and prestigious universities in the world.”

WASHINGTON - Afghan forces will defeat Taliban fighters in the restive Sangin district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province by tomorrow in a battle that has gone on for four days, said Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Walter L. Miller Jr., the commander of NATO-led forces in southwestern Afghanistan.

TAMPA, Fla. - The commander of U.S. Special Operations Command is quick to point out what he calls one of the special operations forces’ most universal truths -- that “people are more important than hardware.” But he’s committed to ensuring they have everything they need to succeed.

WASHINGTON - As nuclear, biological and chemical threats continue to evolve worldwide, partnership between the United States and European Union countries to counter such threats remains critical, a senior Defense Department official said in Helsinki.

WASHINGTON - Before his appearance at the National Memorial Day Concert on the Capitol steps, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stood before symbols and monuments representing the nation’s freedom to remember military members who have risked all for it.

WASHINGTON - After laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, President Barack Obama paid tribute to American patriots from throughout the nation’s history in remarks at the cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel honored those who have given their lives in the nation’s defense and those who serve today – as well as their families – in his Memorial Day message to the men and women of the Defense Department.

WASHINGTON - The sacrifices of the men and women who have served the United States in uniform are the source of the nation’s strength, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said at the National Memorial Day Concert.

WASHINGTON - As part of his first Memorial Day observance in office, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel released a video message to thank those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and commend the military members who will carry on their legacy.

WASHINGTON - In commencement remarks to the graduating class at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel emphasized to the Army's newest officers the need for accountability and integrity in the responsibilities that await them.

WASHINGTON - In advance of Memorial Day, soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment -- The Old Guard -- carefully placed the flags by hand, one by one, in front of each gravestone at Arlington National Cemetery.

WASHINGTON - Media coverage focused on violence and other challenges in Afghanistan loses sight of the larger picture of progress, Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove said after returning from his first trip there as supreme allied commander for Europe.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Entering a military undergoing big changes since they arrived at the U.S. Naval Academy here in 2009, the newest generation of naval officers say the fundamentals that called them to military service remain the same.

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, Va. - The Congressional Caucus on Women’s Issues and senior women enlisted military members gathered at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial May 22 for the 16th annual recognition ceremony.

Fort George G. Meade, Md. - While recent spotlights have focused on the Defense Information Systems Agency's Field Security Operations approval of Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) for the latest in enterprise technologies, one approval stands out by representing a paradigm shift in the agency's business processes.

MOORE, Okla. - For Master Sgt. Brian Hardee, a training noncommissoned officer for the 63rd Civil Support Team, Oklahoma Army National Guard, worries of his own tornado-damaged property in Moore, Okla., were set aside as he shifted thoughts to assisting his community first.

FORT LEE, Va. - When furloughs are implemented, most military commissaries will close one day a week on Mondays, the Defense Commissary Agency’s top official said. The closures will be for up to 11 days between July 8 and Sept. 30.

CAVALIER, N.D. - When heavy rain threatened a dam near Cavalier, North Dakota, the call went out from North Dakota National Guard units. Within 12 hours, Guardsmen from communities across eastern North Dakota were on duty.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has directed the Defense Department to implement the guidance President Barack Obama outlined in his national security speech delivered at the National Defense University, including efforts to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

WASHINGTON - The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments should be able to create a seamless health records system by the end of the year, Frank Kendall, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, told reporters.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Students, teachers and parents of the Defense Department’s schools can be confident that despite the department’s upcoming civilian furloughs, the school year will start on time, said Marilee Fitzgerald, the director of the Department of Defense Education Activity.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden told the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s graduating class they are entering a world of new threats, some that didn’t even exist when they were born, and that the service’s changing mission means they are not joining “your father’s Coast Guard.”

NEW YORK - In a dedication ceremony in New York, Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, the senior advisor to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, commended students who produced a mural that honors the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and service members who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

TAMPA, Fla. - After 12 years of unprecedented demand for special operations forces capability worldwide, Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, the commander of U.S Special Operations Command, is shaping his forces for the future based on his “SOF 2020” vision.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - U.S. Northern Command is coordinating Department of Defense-provided support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state and local response activities in response to tornado-devastated areas in Oklahoma.

LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas - Air Force Tech. Sgt. Shane Buss, who's stationed at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, and his family plan to drop off snacks, water, towels and soap to victims of the deadly tornado that struck Moore, Okla., May 20.

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy - Air Force 1st Lt. Patrick Bonner and his team of tactical air control party members act as mobile air controllers, coordinating with pilots and ground commanders to deliver airpower, maintaining communications and providing precision close-air support, using aircraft and artillery.

MOORE, Okla. - Oklahoma National Guard soldiers are assisting law enforcement officials and other responders in the wake of a deadly tornado that flattened part of Moore, an Oklahoma City suburb, May 20.

WASHINGTON - The Defense, Veterans Affairs and Health and Human Services departments reported on the progress they’ve made on initiatives to improve access to mental health services for veterans, service members and their families.

WASHINGTON - The United States and China, by increasing their dialogue and engagement, can build a foundation of trust while fostering regional security and prosperity, said Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, told members of the National Committee for U.S. China Relations in New York.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Disabled American Veterans and the American Legion today announced a new partnership to help in reducing the compensation claims backlog for veterans.

ARLINGTON, Va. - A board of military and civilian leaders has chosen 30 employers of National Guard and Reserve service members as finalists for the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

WASHINGTON - Some 250 Oklahoma National Guard members are helping with recovery efforts after a massive tornado pounded an Oklahoma City suburb, killing at least 24 people and leaving neighborhoods, homes and businesses flattened or twisted, a senior Army National Guard leader said.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Nearly 250 members of the Oklahoma National Guard are assisting with victim search and security in Moore, Okla., where a monster tornado left at least 24 dead, including nine children, authorities said.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested three insurgents during a search for an insurgent leader with ties to the Taliban and Haqqani terrorist networks in the Sabari district of Khost province.

WASHINGTON - In a meeting of the president’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter said sexual assault and human trafficking will be met with “absolutely no tolerance” in the Defense Department.

WASHINGTON - Russia’s delivery of advanced weapons to Syria will only embolden the Assad regime and prolong suffering, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said during a Pentagon press briefing with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama intends to nominate Army Lt. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti to receive his fourth star and to succeed Army Gen. James D. Thurman as the commander of U.S. Forces in Korea, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced at a Pentagon briefing.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Army Spc. Elizabeth Wasil took three gold medals in the race chair, a bronze medal in the shot put and a bronze in the hand cycle/recumbent cycling race during the 2013 Warrior Games, which concluded May 16 at the Olympic Training Center and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel discussed the defense relationship between the United States and Turkey with Turkish officials in a Pentagon meeting, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

SAN DIEGO - Gary Gilbreath at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific in San Diego has provided high-level design for unmanned vehicle software, guiding the Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Air Systems Command, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Army, the Marine Corps and industry.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is taking bold steps to provide sound information and proper analysis as it fortifies its cloud computing, acquisition and data processes, a senior Pentagon official said.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua - Growing up as the daughter of missionaries, Army Capt. Kathrine Berberich got a perspective on the world that is foreign to most Americans. It also made her a perfect fit to head Wisconsin’s State Partnership Program with Nicaragua.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department supports U.S. global health activities because such efforts as preventing and containing lethal outbreaks align with DOD’s mission to help ensure geopolitical stability and security, said Kathleen H. Hicks, the principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Retired Air Force Staff Sgt. Zuleika Cruz-Pereira is defying painful injuries she'd received during a duty tour in Iraq to participate in the 2013 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

BRUSSELS - The NATO defense chiefs are moving closer to determining what the post-2014 alliance posture in Afghanistan will look like, Danish Gen. Knud Bartels, the chairman of the Military Committee, said in Brussels.

WASHINGTON - Afghan special operations forces and Afghan local police are taking on two distinct, but critical, missions during the transition from NATO to Afghan security responsibility in Afghanistan, said Army Maj. Gen. Tony Thomas, commander of the Special Operations Joint Task Force Afghanistan.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force in the Zurmat district of Afghanistan’s Paktiya province killed an insurgent and arrested four others during a search for a Haqqani network leader who participates in kidnappings throughout the province.

WASHINGTON - For the past eight years U.S. Strategic Command has led Nimble Titan, a series of experimentation campaigns that bring together 22 nations to address missile defense challenges in the coming decade.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Sexual assault in the force constitutes a crisis in the military, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters as he returned from NATO meetings in Brussels.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT - The NATO chiefs of defense discussed what the post-2014 alliance presence in Afghanistan will look like and how it could work, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters after he’d attended two days of meetings in Brussels.

ROSSLYN, Va. - The Defense Department must adjust amid shrinking bandwidth and budgets, a Defense Information Systems Agency official said during a National Spectrum Management Association conference in Rosslyn, Va.

WASHINGTON - As U.S. and coalition conventional forces in Afghanistan prepare to draw down, the special operations community remains committed to a variety of missions there through the end of 2014 and beyond, the commander of U.S. and NATO special operations forces in Afghanistan said.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Jeanette Falu-Bishop, a masseuse and the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Structure for Wounded Warriors, helps heal and relax ill, injured and wounded veterans competing at the 2013 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey - When he walks into the Dutch Patriot missile headquarters at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, Army Capt. Adam Proctor greets his co-workers in their native language, with a friendly smile.

WASHINGTON - Officials at the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments have produced three public service announcements to help families and friends recognize the signs of potential suicide in veterans and service members.

TAMPA, Fla. - A new arrangement that gives U.S. Special Operations Command responsibility for manning, training and equipping special operators assigned to regional combatant commands is strengthening the global special operations force network, Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, Socom's commander, said in Tampa, Fla.

TAMPA, Fla. - Outlining his top priorities as he shapes U.S. Special Operations Command for the future, Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, the Socom commander, told a forum of special operators and defense in Tampa, Fla., that it all starts with winning the current fight in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Following Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s announcement that most Defense Department civilian employees will experience up to 11 furlough days from early July through September, senior defense officials emphasized their goal to reduce adverse effects on the workforce and the mission.

WASHINGTON - After weeks of review, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has concluded budget cuts will require most of the department’s civilian employees to be furloughed beginning in July, but that because of other efforts to deal with the shortfall, only half of the 22 days originally envisioned as temporary layoffs will now be necessary.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - As a hush went across the spectators, two Marines, tied in the finals for shooting an air rifle, lined up their final shots in a shoot-off. A tenth of a point on the last shot meant the difference between winning gold and silver for these two Marines.

WASHINGTON - In a message to the Defense Department workforce, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel explained why he “very reluctantly” decided that a historic budget shortfall necessitates up to 11 unpaid furlough days for most of the department’s civilian employees between July 8 and the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced that he has signed a memorandum directing defense managers to prepare to furlough most Defense Department civilian employees for up to 11 days between July 8 and the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year.

WASHINGTON - In an effort to maximize investments of defense business opportunities during austere times, the Defense Department is seeking to establish a “cost culture,” a senior Pentagon official said.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - After 12 years of war, innovation remains at the heart of meeting security challenges, a senior Pentagon official said during a panel discussion at the National Innovation Summit and Showcase in National Harbor, Md.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter met with U.S. military officials in Afghanistan and took an in-person look at the progress of the retrograde as he concluded his weeklong overseas trip.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. - Recognizing the value of multinational coalitions for operations in the land, maritime and air domains, officials at U.S. Strategic Command hope to forge a coalition that shares assets and capabilities in space.

BRUSSELS - The transition in Afghanistan, the post-2014 NATO mission in the country and the alliance’s transformation in the face of economic hardships were on the docket as NATO’s Military Committee began deliberations in Brussels.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Retired Army Sgt. Joseph C. Smith, who also served in the Marine Corps, wrote the “Creed of the Wounded Warrior” to help others while recovering from his own severe injuries. Those words continue to fuel him now as he competes in the 2013 Warrior Games.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - “I don’t know what I’d do without my family. They’ve really been supportive of everything I do,” Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Ronnie Jimenez said after he'd won the 10-K hand-cycling event at the 2013 Warrior Games held in Colorado Springs, Colo.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama met with British Prime Minister David Cameron at the White House to discuss shared peace in the Middle East, future roles in Afghanistan and other global security developments.

WASHINGTON - In his first blog post as commander of U.S. European Command and NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe, Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove paid tribute to the legacy of his predecessors and stressed the importance of partnership and family.

MONS, Belgium - Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, NATO’s new supreme allied commander for operations, is no stranger to the alliance or to Europe, having spent a third of his military career in Europe.

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Southwest Asia-deployed Air Force Senior Airman Erik White, a weather airman who issues warnings when lightning strikes take place within five miles of an air base, knows the danger -- he’s a lightning-strike survivor.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter met with senior U.S. and Afghan officials in Kabul, Afghanistan, to praise them for their efforts on the transition to Afghan-led security, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - Warrior Games wheelchair basketball athlete and retired Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Sonny Lemerande, who’d served as a hospital corpsman and was wounded in Afghanistan, shares his story, his recovery, and what the Warrior Games mean to him.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Special Operations Command athletes showcased their skills during a seated volleyball scrimmage against Prince Harry and the British team at the Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The 2013 Warrior Games began when Navy Lt. Bradley Snyder, with the help of Prince Harry and Olympian Missy Franklin, lit the official torch during the event’s opening ceremonies at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

WASHINGTON - The 200 wounded, injured, and ill service members and veterans competing in this year’s Warrior Games are the best of the best, Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during the event’s opening ceremonies in Colorado Springs, Colo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Former Marine Staff Sgt. Matthew Benack is the one to watch at the 2013 Warrior Games that start today in Colorado Springs, Colo., and finish May 16. Benack will test his skills in the archery, air rifle and pistol competitions.

WASHINGTON - Thousands of military moms deployed around the world will observe a subdued Mother’s Day on May 12, relying on technology, care packages and family photos to help bridge the miles between them and their children.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department worked closely with other federal agencies in support of the National Security Staff effort that generated the National Strategy for the Arctic Region, a senior Pentagon official said.

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany - An officer recognized as the top sexual assault response coordinator for the Marine Corps has received her Defense Department-level award at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies.

WASHINGTON - Though the six veterans whose service era spanned the Civil War to Vietnam had no known relatives to see them rendered full honors and final respects at Arlington National Cemetery, they were not forgotten.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. is working with allies and partners to comprehensively address the political, economic and security uncertainty, and the threats of extremism and proliferation, that beset Middle East, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - A group of NATO officials learned about work being done to support the extended nuclear deterrence mission and broader national security programs during a three-day visit to Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is on track to meet the requirements of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, as it also modernizing its ballistic missile defense capabilities, a senior defense official told Congress.

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - Wounded warrior Army Staff Sgt. Michael Lage and other wounded, ill or injured service members as well as military retirees are preparing to compete at the 2013 Warrior Games to be held May 11-16 at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

WASHINGTON - Thousands of Defense Department personnel are joining their interagency partners in fine-tuning their disaster-response processes in the annual Ardent Sentry Exercise just ahead of the upcoming hurricane and wildfire seasons.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force’s aggressive response when missile-launch crews at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., fell short of established standards during an inspection in March underscores the integrity of the nuclear weapons program, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command told Congress.

PORT HUENEME, Calif. - When the Camarillo Springs wildfire came dangerously close to homes and neighborhoods, California National Guard members were among those who responded to protect their own homes and communities.

FORT MEADE, Md. - New security technical implementation guides for BlackBerry and Samsung Knox devices will allow the Defense Department to use those devices as part of approved mobility pilots in a secure enterprise mobility environment.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WALTON, Afghanistan - Army Sgt. 1st Class Lester Parks Sr. and his son, Army 1st Lt. Lester Parks Jr., have deployed to Afghanistan before, but this time they are serving together.

WASHINGTON - When Fort Carson, Colo., reduced its identification card waiting time from 45 minutes to five minutes, it was a mile marker in the Defense Department’s goal to cut the waiting process, a DOD official said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has cooperated fully with Congress and the State Department on the investigation into the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that led to the death of four U.S. citizens, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - Senior Defense Department civilian and military leaders are deeply committed to making the necessary changes to prevent sexual assault and to act quickly and appropriately when it does occur, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote in a blog entry.

WASHINGTON - The 60-year alliance between the United States and South Korea started as a military treaty to defend the south from the communist north, but it has grown to become an unbreakable bond between two countries that share friendship and values, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany - As Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove prepares to take command of U.S. European Command and NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, he acknowledged U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa airmen and their importance to the United States' national defense strategy.

WASHINGTON - Allegations of sexual misconduct against an Air Force officer in charge of preventing sex crimes within the service underscored the importance of Defense Secretary Hagel’s effort to prevent sexual assault across the military.

WASHINGTON - As he prepares to turn over command next week of both U.S. European Command and NATO’s Allied Command Operations, Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, the senior U.S. officer in Europe, said he’s confident in NATO’s future.

FORT MCCOY, Wis. - Cooking for the force is no small undertaking, but Army Pfc. Xavier Vasquez is up to the challenge and says it is an honor for him to serve his fellow soldiers in the dining facility during Warrior Exercise 2013 on Forward Operating Base Liberty on Fort McCoy, Wis.

WASHINGTON - A Defense Department report released today describes China’s military modernization and the Chinese army’s interaction with other forces, including those of the United States, a senior Pentagon official said.

WASHINGTON - The long-term interests of the defense industry and the Defense Department are aligned, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter said at a ceremony where he accepted the Eisenhower Award from the National Defense Industrial Association.

WASHINGTON - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned that further cuts in defense spending by European nations risk reducing the continent’s defense and security to “hot air,” turning the alliance into what he called a “global spectator” rather than a real force on the world stage.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Defense Education Activity’s Teacher of the Year, along with other National Teacher of the Year finalists, spent a week touring the nation’s capital, a visit that included a chance to meet President Barack Obama at the White House.

WASHINGTON - Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, told a gathering of military wives that the deployment of her son Beau to Iraq in 2008 made her realize the sacrifices military families repeatedly endure, a hardship she said most Americans will never know.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon officials followed up on Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s statement that the United States is looking at arming the Syrian opposition, saying it is important to refine options as the situation on the ground changes.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon officials approved the security technical implementation guides for BlackBerry 10 smartphones and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, as well as Samsung's Android Knox, to be used on Defense Department networks.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force in the Burkah district of Baghlan province killed Jamal, a senior insurgent leader who had ties to both the Taliban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.

WASHINGTON - The United States and the United Kingdom are looking for ways to deepen an already close military-to-military relationship, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond told reporters following their meeting at the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear capabilities and development of long-range ballistic missile programs make it one of the most critical U.S. security challenges in Northeast Asia, according to a Defense Department report.

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - Afghanistan combat veteran Army Sgt. 1st Class Greg Robinson is the first soldier with an amputated limb and prosthetic to complete the grueling Air Assault School at Fort Campbell, Ky.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is committed to helping military spouses find jobs and offers resources for education, training and networking, said Meg O'Grady, the department’s spouse employment and career opportunities program manager.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met with Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzón at the Pentagon to discuss the close security partnership between the United States and Colombia, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - A year ago in Afghanistan, Army Sgt. James Hayes used his mechanic's training to save the life of a fellow soldier who was pinned under the top of a mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle after it was flipped by an exploding improvised explosive device.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department continues to encourage military families to sidestep debt by creating a feasible spending plan and using available resources for achieving financial stability, said Barbara Thompson, director of DOD’s office of family policy and children and youth.